Ocean Energy Roadmap on the agenda for Council of Energy Ministers
23.02.2017
Commissioners for Maritime Affairs, Mr Vella and for Energy, Mr Cañete will present the Ocean Energy Roadmap to European Energy Ministers on February 27.
The Roadmap, published in October last year, was developed by the ocean energy industry under the patronage of the European Commission. It makes concrete recommendations to bring tidal, wave and other ocean energy technologies to commercialisation.
The Roadmap will now be discussed during the meeting of the European Union’s Energy Council of Ministers.
OEE calls for increased cooperation at Member State level to roll out Roadmap recommendations
Rémi Gruet, CEO of Ocean Energy Europe welcomed the discussion of the Roadmap at Ministerial level and called for cooperation at Member State level to roll out its recommendations:
“The industry has put a lot of work into delivering a Roadmap with concrete, original and achievable actions. But the real work of rolling them out starts now.”
“The European Commission clearly understands the role that ocean energy will play in securing Europe’s clean energy future. We are pleased that Commissioners Vella and Cañete have put ocean energy on the political agenda. We urge the ministers from the EU’s member countries to use this first discussion to cooperate in bringing forward a European industry with huge potential for growth and job creation. For this, they can count on Ocean Energy Europe’s full support.”
About the European Union’s Energy Council
The Energy Council is the forum for the EU’s energy ministers to meet and discuss energy-related policy issues. It is responsible for adopting, together with the European Parliament, legislation on the functioning of energy markets, to ensure that energy supplies are secure, to promote energy efficiency, new and renewable energies, and to promote the interconnection of energy networks. It meets three to four times a year and is chaired by the rotating presidency of the EU – currently held by Malta.
About the Ocean Energy Roadmap
The Ocean Energy Forum Strategic Roadmap was published in November at OEE2016 in Brussels. It is the main output of the Ocean Energy Forum, created by the European Commission in 2014.
The Roadmap proposes 6 actions to facilitate the emergence of a market for ocean energy in Europe, including the establishment of new financial products, an EU wide phase-gate R&D programme, and increased collaboration around cost reduction, deployment and consenting.
Ocean Energy Europe is working with the EU and Member State governments to implement these actions, thereby creating a market for ocean energy in Europe, and opening up export markets around the world.